The long winter paused last week with enough rain and melting to create an ice dam in the river behind my office and fill my garages with 30 inches of water and flood 7 cars. Some got up to 3 feet of water and my Jaguar got enough to cover the console and fill the trunk.

Hagerty Insurance is having all the fluids in all effected cars changed – so I’ll be changing the oil, power steering, transmission ($65 a quart !!!) and rear end fluid. I suspect the water was up to perhaps the exhaust manifolds in the engine.

The seat motors and switches were toast. The carpets were dried and cleaned. The water was just under the upholstery, so the seats are OK.

Are there other things to check and/or change?

Can this water fill the exhaust and wreck the catalytic convertor and/or exhaust?

 

I'd force the insurance company to take a total loss on an XK8 with flood damage. These things are so full of electronics and connectors you'll never get all the gremlins worked out. Just look at some of the posts from owners of non-flooded cars but live in humid climates - electrical gremlins are typical in those climates and really are a pain.

It's hard to give up one of these but there are so many well cared-for XK8s on the market now you shouldn't have too much trouble getting another.

 

+1 on the write-off. I've seen a lot of flood victims have delayed issues appear. The rear fuse box, seat padding and metal frames, rotten carpets and padding, brake calipers & pads, wheel bearings (older seals are not always impervious to water intrusion when submerged), etc. Plus, the friction material in automatic transmissions are attached to their metal plates with a water based adhesive, changing the oil in it may or may not be enough to thwart future issues. Then there's the possibility of water being held in between anti-corrosion coatings and metal, leading to future rust-through.

 

+1 on the total write off. Not only for future problems but for the cars future value when this incident shows up on the vehicles history reports.

 

Let'er go.

 

7 cars! That's a lot of loss (relatively, anyway). If you can't total it you might consider parting it out - a MY2000 isn't worth that much.

 

+1 on totalling

and if that cannot be achieved

1. do not sign a general release

2. insist on a written undertaking to fix all problems discovered in the future

point #2 might push a reluctant adjuster into totalling the vehicle

In addition to the items in Beav's list, also add prop shaft bearings, halfshaft bearings, rusted diff vent, and the general difficulty in the future of working on seized fasteners. And ... MOLD. That stinky smell found in old vehicles left to rot in the junkyard. eg. how much dirty water is in the heater plenums? sitting in the door cavities, rocker panels and other assorted places.

 

Dude, that sucks.

 

I agree, flooding of the vehicle to that level will probably give you fits forever on this car. Also, be sure that they compensate you for the diminished value as you will lose money on resale due to this event.

I would really force the totaling. Then if you are so inclined buy it back. At least you will be taking on the issues with full knowledge and a much lower entry price.

 

I would not even consider keeping a flooded out car, unless it was somehow unique or classic car otherwise. Not worth the potential heart ache!

 

Fluids are the least of the worries, I do not think these need changed on car that as not running when the water came.
Electric and unprotected, interior metal and wood parts are the ones that will suffer, plus the wiring and misc. electric components.

 

Well Mish, you would be incorrect. All lubricated assemblies have atmospheric breathers that would allow water to enter them. All petroleum products are hygroscopic and compromised by excessive moisture. Also, the friction materials in an automatic transmission are bonded to their steel plates with water-based adhesives which the slightest amount of moisture will dissolve.

 

Agreed, however drain and fill is the easiest part of it. Pulling all the carpeting out and replacing every electric device that sits below waterline and has "lucas" written on it, is a lot more involving.
Also, have you seen my post about rusty floor panels on my, otherwise perfect XKR? Jaguar is notorious for not being able to protect multi-layer metal parts of the body, I am dealing with tons of it on my XJS and I see some of it on my XKR.
So, giving all of it a good soak, would require a lot of drying and checking.

 

The car is toast. There is no chance the car will ever be back to normal.
Sorry to hear it. The insurance co. cares about one thing and olny one thing, and that is SCREWING YOU. No matter how nice your local agent is. So read up on your rights , and sign nothing until you are satified with the replacement/ cash offer.
Best of luck

 

What's the VIN? We'll see it on Ebay in two months looking all shiny and grand. Then a month later, the new owner will be here asking why his turn signals activate the convertible top pump.